San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-11-10
CHAPTER TX.

side were obscure to Lord Staines, they
did rot to a reflective person appear quite
unfathomable. When only one life inter
venes between your husband and a large
property it must, no doubt, seem deplOr-
able that that life should be supplemented
by others, and can well believe that to
see BeauChamp married would have gone
to Hilda's heart, even though he should
select as his wife member of her hus-
bands family. 1t is true that she caIr
hardly have hoped to keep him perma-
nently single, but she may have takenn to
consideration that existence is preCariOus,
and that young men addicted to field
sports run frequent risks of breaking their
necks Add to this she did not love Lord
Staines, while she detested Lady Mildred
with the intensity of an impositOr who
has been found out, and you have an cX-
PLANTATION Of her conduct which is at least
plausible. | don't say that it is the true
explanation, because | cannot pretend to
be able to follow all the tOrtuOuS work
ings of such a mind as Hilda's; but that
the course which events subsequently
took was premeditated and contTived by
her in cold blood seems to me too violent
an hypothesis. In any case there could
be no question as to the fact that she had
marked Beauchamp down as her prey, nor
did she fail to capture him.
He surrendered Internationally at the
first blow, and spent the remainder of the
London season upon his knees, metaphor
ically speaking | used to meet him and
his enchantress pretty frequently at balls
and brushes, and always watched them
with interest. Other people watched
them too, making such spiteful, irOnical,
or condemnatory comments upon the pro-
ceedings Of the pair as were prompted by
their several dispositions and by the nature
of the case; but by the persons who have
been introduced into this history, it so
CHANGED that they were little remarked.
Lady Mildred, who was in constant at
tendance upon her father went very sell
dom into society; Bracknell had of late
years ceased to frequent the circles which,
as a bachelor, he had so conspicuously
adorned; and those of Jim's friends who
had not forgotten him during his long alb
sence belonged for the most part to his
own sex, and were not in the habit of Civ
ing balls. Thus Lady Bracknell was able
to carry out her designs unmolested; and
as Beauchamp continued to pay visits to
Portman square with unfailing regulari
ty, any anxiety that Lord Staines may
have felt on the day of tire cricket match
was probably soon allayed.
Summing, to be sure, very nearly let the
cat out of the bag one afternoon when
Jim and | called at his grandfather's
house We found him and the old gen
tleman with a tea table between them,
busily engaged in eating hot buttered
toast. Lady Mildred was pouring out the
tea, and Beauchamp, reclining in al arm
chair looked very much as if he was won
dering how soon he might venture to 60
away.
~ do not think it is very dangerous,
Lady Mildred was saying as we entered;
and after she had shaken hands with us
she appealed for support to Jim. "Mr.
Leigh, do you think it is safe for such a
mite as Summing to ride in the Row with
nobody but a groom to look after him?
And he always makes the groom ride a
hundred yards behind"
From what | have seen of the eques-
trian performances in the Row, don't
think it is an over and above safe place
for anybody to ride in, answered Jim,
laughing
''But seriously" persisted Lady Mil
dred 81 don't like to think Of that child
in the thick of such crowd. He has one
of those wicked little Shetland ponies, too,
which might overpOwer him at any mo-
ment.n
Summing, with his mouth full of but
tered toast, was understood to say that
he would like to see the POM that could
overpower him.
Lord Staines chuckled. ''He can take
care of himself-trust himl All the same,
think Brackneu might go out with the
boy"
Summing, having swallowed his toast,
informed us that his father never rode in
London. "And | mustn't ride with
mother when he's there" he added,
pointing a greasy forefnger at Beau
champ.
'Eh?-what?-who?" calculated Lord
Staines, pricking up his ears.
And Summing did not mend matters by
continuing, in his hsping, childish treble,
Before he came there was another
gentleman, but l think he's gone away
now. Mother says not to ride with her
when there's a gentleman.
"WOuld he be so very much in your
way" asked Lady Mildred turning to
Beauchamp, with just the flintest touch
of dsdain in her voice.
mot the least in the world" answered
the young man. Il am very sorry if |
have prevented Lady Brack Ill from TAX
ing him out, and the next ne-if there
is a next time-I'll make point of re-
questing the favor of his c. lpany But
really, don't ride with Lady Bracknell
very often"
'Evely day." said the relentless Sun
ming emphatically.
This was a little embarrassing, but
Beauchamp, though young, was man of
experience, and his serenity was not cas-
lily disturbed. 'You don't mean to say
soY' he exclaimed. "I'm very much
ashamed of myself, and I'll apologize to
Lady Bracknell the next time see her.
But that is just the sort of stupid thing
that I'm always doing. She good nat
uredly asked me to ride with her one day,
and suppose | must have kept on going
ever since from force of habit I'll tie a
knot in my pocket handkerchief at once,
so that l may remember to forget to 60
tomorrow.
/ don't know whether he was only anX-
ious to stifle suspicion, or whether he still
contemplated the possibility Of an ultimate
union with Lady Mildred; but he made
great efforts to be agreeable to her during
the next quarter of an hour, and when he
took his leave Lord Staines, who had evi.
IDENTIFY been alarmed for u moment,
seemed to be quite treasured.
Jim, after we had left the house to-
gether, informed me casually that he con-
sidered the manners and customs of saw
ages very superior upon the whole to those
Of so called civilized Christians, but de-
clined to enter more fully into the subject
when invited to do so. at doesn't mat
ter; only that's my opinion" he said.
/ am not acquainted with the customs
of sayaQes. eXCept by hparsay. lint o1Ir